Sports & Leisure

Tennis Racket

The nation's passion for sports is obvious every day—at NASCAR races, kiddie soccer matches, and countless other contests. From a handball used by Abraham Lincoln to Chris Evert's tennis racket to a baseball signed by Jackie Robinson, the roughly 6.000 objects in the Museum's sports collections bear witness to the vital place of sports in the nation's history. Paper sports objects in the collections, such as souvenir programs and baseball cards, number in the hundreds of thousands.

Leisure collections encompass a different range of objects, including camping vehicles and gear, video games, playing cards, sportswear, exercise equipment, and Currier and Ives prints of fishing, hunting, and horseracing. Some 4,000 toys dating from the colonial period to the present are a special strength of the collections.

Date: 1970s

Cross country skiing

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1975-02-02
photographer
Regan, Ken
ID Number
2014.0112.083
catalog number
2014.0112.083
accession number
2014.0112

Bobby DelVecchio

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1978
photographer
Regan, Ken
ID Number
2014.0112.222
catalog number
2014.0112.222
accession number
2014.0112

National Skateboard Review, Vol. 1, No. 3, June-July 1976

National Skateboard Review, Vol. 1, No. 3, June-July 1976The National Skateboard Review was the first nationwide grass roots publication for local skaters.
Description (Brief)
National Skateboard Review, Vol. 1, No. 3, June-July 1976
The National Skateboard Review was the first nationwide grass roots publication for local skaters. The Review included race results, interviews, skateboarding tips, safety lessons, skateboard related advertisements and black and white photographs of tricks, contests and skaters. This publication was written and published by Di Dootson, a slalom racer who began keeping times for the local races and decided a publication about the local competitions and skateboarding in general was needed. In 1975, Dootson skated at LaCosta with many influential people in the skate world including Frank Nasworthy, the designer of the urethane wheel; Dominy and Balma, the inventors of the wide truck; the Bahne Brothers, Caster, Gordon & Smith and Bobby Turner, all manufacturers of skateboard decks; Warren Bolster, the editor of Skateboarder Magazine; and O’Malley and Graham, the builders of Carlsbad Skate Park. They all did their R&D testing at LaCosta and their pros used Black Hill to improve their skills and test new products. The National Skateboard Review was created by Dootson and Peggy Turner, the wife of SummerSki designer Bobby Turner to update racers on their stats and provide information to other racers and skaters across the country. As publisher and editor of the National Skateboard Review, Dootson invited skaters to send in contest results, park news, skater news, legislation news, pro gossip and skateparks provided local information. The first advertisers were: G&S, Tracker Trucks, and Logan Earth Ski. Advertisers would get 100 copies of the newspaper to mail out with shipments to retailers across the country. NSR, as it was referred, was published monthly for the next three years. As Dootson explains, “By early 1979, the insurance industry had effectively closed many skateparks across the country. With the loss of skatepark retail shops to provide sales opportunities, manufacturers had to cut expenses. Ads to the NSR eventually dwindled. By summer, 1979, it was painfully clear the NSR days were numbered. I printed a farewell in the April/May, 1979 issue.”
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1976
editor
Rose, Di Dootson
ID Number
2013.0163.04
accession number
2013.0163
catalog number
2013.0163.04

Jay Adams Model Z-Flex skateboard autographed by Jay Adams

Jay Adams model, Z-Flex skateboard deck made of green fiberglass with red and dark green swirls in the fiberglass throughout, a small kicktail and is signed by Jay Adams.
Description (Brief)
Jay Adams model, Z-Flex skateboard deck made of green fiberglass with red and dark green swirls in the fiberglass throughout, a small kicktail and is signed by Jay Adams. Adams (1961-2014) began his career as a surfer on the Zephyr surf team which was based out of Jeff Ho Surfboards and Zephyr Productions, created by Jeff Ho, Skip Engblom and Craig Stecyk. In 1975, the second wave of skateboarding was well under way and when the Z-Boys heard about the Bahne-Cadillac Del Mar Nationals skateboard contest, they switched to skating. Adams brought the fluid and assertive moves of a surfer to the sport of skateboarding and became one of the original innovators of the sport. The Z-Boys became known for their aggressive style of skating which contrasted wildly from the freestyle moves of the 1960s skate scene. It helped that the new urethane wheels made skating smoother and the California drought emptied swimming pools across southern California. Adam’s and the Z-Boys spent the better part of two years ‘breaking in’ to people’s yards and skating their empty pools which the state of California had mandated to by empty due to the severe drought of the mid-1970s. Adam’s was one of the true pioneers of “pool” skating which would usher in a new generation of vert skaters.
The history of Z-Flex Skateboards also begins with Jay Adams and the Z-Boys of Dogtown. Once the Z-Boys were firmly established in the skateboarding scene the Zephyr owners approached Adam’s stepdad, Kent Sherwood to produce a new kind of skateboard. Sherwood worked with fiberglass in Dave Sweet’s Surf Shop and was more than willing to take on the challenge. After six months, problems arose and Sherwood took Adam’s and a few of the other Z-Boys and founded EZ-Ryder Skateboards. Within six months the name was change to Z-Flex and the company has been an innovator ever since. They were the first to use a concave on the board’s topside and developed a smoother type of wheel which most of the modern wheels of today are based.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1970s
1975
ID Number
2014.0022.02
accession number
2014.0022
catalog number
2014.0022.02

Black American Racers Association membership t-shirt

Black American Racers Association membership t-shirt was issued to thousands of BARA members across America. The logo was designed as an embroidered patch for members too.
Description (Brief)
Black American Racers Association membership t-shirt was issued to thousands of BARA members across America. The logo was designed as an embroidered patch for members too. BARA was the support group and a national networking association for the Black American Racers Formula Super Vee and Formula 5000 endeavors on the race track and other African American auto racing campaigns in various classes throughout America.
In 1969, Len Miller and his brother Dexter for Miller Racing to race hot rods on the drag racing circuit in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and the Northeast. With success on the racetrack he formed Vanguard Racing in 1972 and was the first African American to enter a car in the Indianapolis 500. He then went on to found the Black American Racers Association in 1973. The goal of the organization was to “unify African-American drivers in all types of racing – stock car, open wheel, and drag racing -- pave the way for greater success and introduce race fans to African-American’s history in motorsports.”
Later that same year the Black American Racers, Inc. (BAR) was formed with Benny Scott as their second generation African-American driver. Also in 1973, BAR became the first team to have an African American driver compete in England. In 1975, BAR driver Benny Scott would break the color barrier at the Long Beach Grand Prix, when the team entered a Formula 5000 car in the inaugural race. Len and Benny Scott were inducted into the Black Athletes Hall of Fame for their achievements in motorsports in 1976. In 1978, BAR experienced a setback when their driver Tommy Thompson was killed in an accident at the Trenton Speedway. Many of the team members took a break after this tragedy and in the 1980s the team turned toward stock car racing.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1975
user
Miller, Leonard W.
ID Number
2016.0359.19
accession number
2016.0359
catalog number
2016.0359.19

Laura Thornhill model skateboard used by Laura Thornhill

The wooden skateboard shown here is a Logan Earth Ski, Laura Thornhill model from the 1970s and is autographed by Laura Thornhill. Thornhill used this board during her career as a freestyle skater in the mid to late 1970s.
Description (Brief)
The wooden skateboard shown here is a Logan Earth Ski, Laura Thornhill model from the 1970s and is autographed by Laura Thornhill. Thornhill used this board during her career as a freestyle skater in the mid to late 1970s. Thornhill began competing at age 13 and won or placed in nearly every women’s competition organized and sometimes even competed against and beat the boys during the 1970s. She became a member of the Logan Earth Ski team in 1975 and began a run of “firsts”; she was the first female skater to get her own signature model skateboard, the first female to have a “Who’s Hot” in the newly revived Skateboarder Magazine, the first female interview and the first female centerfold in Skateboarder Magazine. Thornhill continued to compete but also traveled around the country doing demonstrations, television sports specials, film and stunt work. After an injury in 1979, Thornhill retired from skating but continues to be active in the sport having been inducted into the Skateboard Hall of Fame in 2013.
date made
1970s
user
Caswell, Laura Thornhill
ID Number
2013.0162.01
accession number
2013.0162
catalog number
2013.0162.01

Cadillac brand DK38 model skateboard wheel

This is a "DK38" model Cadillac skateboard wheel which is a pigmented blue-green color and was introduced in 1975. "Cadillac Wheels [/] DK38" is imprinted into the surface of the wheel which is 2 inches in diameter and 1.5 inches or 38 mm wide.
Description (Brief)
This is a "DK38" model Cadillac skateboard wheel which is a pigmented blue-green color and was introduced in 1975. "Cadillac Wheels [/] DK38" is imprinted into the surface of the wheel which is 2 inches in diameter and 1.5 inches or 38 mm wide. This model was the first production Cadillac wheel made in California. According to the donor, several aspects of this wheel were refined and included two models, the DK38 and the DK 51. these wheels were not the original designs but became the standard for the first high volume skateboard production by the new team of Bahne & Co. and Cadillac Wheels. Both models were offered in blue-green and orange. there is a metal bearing race cone in the center of the wheel. This would receive the loose ball bearings and a screw for securing the wheel to the truck, holding the bearings in, allowing the wheel to spin freely.
Frank Nasworthy’s introduction of the urethane wheel to skateboarding in the early 1970s, changed the face of the sport allowing riders a more fluid, smooth ride and innovators to create new and improved equipment designed specifically from the use of the urethane wheel on skateboards. Prior to Cadillac wheel’s introduction, skateboarding had dropped from popularity. The equipment did not allow for a safe, enjoyable ride. The wheels, made of steel, plastic, clay or a crushed walnut composite did not provide a smooth ride. One small rock or rise in the road and the board would stop, sending the rider flying. Nasworthy, a recreational skater discovered the urethane wheel, originally used for roller skating, at a friend’s father’s factory in Purcellville, Virginia. He saw the potential for skateboarding and returned to California with 1000 wheels he bought from his friend’s dad. Selling them to skate and surf shops in California, Nasworthy soon realized the business potential and began manufacturing the wheels under the name Cadillac. While skateboarding ebbed again in the late 70s, the wheels were here to stay.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1975
ID Number
2021.0116.08.2
accession number
2021.0116
catalog number
2021.0116.08.2

Bahne advertising flyer for Cadillac Wheels posters

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1977
ID Number
2021.0049.02.4
accession number
2021.0049
catalog number
2021.0049.02.4

Gorham Silver Yo-Yo

This metal yo-yo was made by the Gorham Manufacturing Company in the 1970s. It has flat sides and a sterling silver shell. The yo-yo features an ornate repousse leaf pattern and is engraved at the center.
Description (Brief)
This metal yo-yo was made by the Gorham Manufacturing Company in the 1970s. It has flat sides and a sterling silver shell. The yo-yo features an ornate repousse leaf pattern and is engraved at the center. The Gorham Manufacturing Company was originally founded in Rhode Island in 1831 as a sterling silver maker.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1970s
maker
Gorham
ID Number
2002.0246.07
accession number
2002.0246
catalog number
2002.0246.07

Shorts worn as part of the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader uniform, 1973

White polyester shorts worn as part of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader uniform, 1984. Originally designed by Leslie Van Wagoner of the Lester Melnick store in Dallas, the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders signature uniform is a carefully guarded trademark.
Description (Brief)
White polyester shorts worn as part of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader uniform, 1984. Originally designed by Leslie Van Wagoner of the Lester Melnick store in Dallas, the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders signature uniform is a carefully guarded trademark. Specifically tailored to fit each individual cheerleader, the signature blouse, vest and shorts were hand made by Leveta Crager until the mid-1990s and are now made by Lisa Dobson.
The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders have been cheering the team on since the Cowboys football team’s inception in 1961 but it wasn’t until 1972 that the iconic uniforms were created. With the distinctive uniforms and specialized dance moves, the cheerleaders soon became icons of popular culture producing the first poster to feature cheerleaders in 1977 and appearing in three television shows that same year. They began their international activities in 1978 when the NFL wanted to promote American football abroad and they chose the cheerleaders as their ambassadors. Their show group travels the world demonstrating their Texas spirit and pride in their football team and their country.
A decidedly American invention, cheerleading has its origins in sports and education. Beginning as early as 1877, fans organized cheers in the stands at Princeton football games but it was not until the 1930s when Gussie Nell Davis, a physical education teacher at Greenville High in Texas, saw the need to involve girls in physical activity. Participation in organized sports was not readily available to girls at this time - the Flaming Flashes and later, the Kilgore Rangerettes of Kilgore College in Texas, both organized by Davis, provided a sense of unity and empowerment through athleticism. Until Title IX, cheerleading was among the few sports available at the high school and collegiate levels that provided opportunities for women.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1973
ID Number
2017.0042.03
accession number
2017.0042
catalog number
2017.0042.03

National Skateboard Review, Vol. 1, No. 9, January 1977

National Skateboard Review, Vol. 1, No. 9, January 1977The National Skateboard Review was the first nationwide grass roots publication for local skaters.
Description (Brief)
National Skateboard Review, Vol. 1, No. 9, January 1977
The National Skateboard Review was the first nationwide grass roots publication for local skaters. The Review included race results, interviews, skateboarding tips, safety lessons, skateboard related advertisements and black and white photographs of tricks, contests and skaters. This publication was written and published by Di Dootson, a slalom racer who began keeping times for the local races and decided a publication about the local competitions and skateboarding in general was needed. In 1975, Dootson skated at LaCosta with many influential people in the skate world including Frank Nasworthy, the designer of the urethane wheel; Dominy and Balma, the inventors of the wide truck; the Bahne Brothers, Caster, Gordon & Smith and Bobby Turner, all manufacturers of skateboard decks; Warren Bolster, the editor of Skateboarder Magazine; and O’Malley and Graham, the builders of Carlsbad Skate Park. They all did their R&D testing at LaCosta and their pros used Black Hill to improve their skills and test new products. The National Skateboard Review was created by Dootson and Peggy Turner, the wife of SummerSki designer Bobby Turner to update racers on their stats and provide information to other racers and skaters across the country. As publisher and editor of the National Skateboard Review, Dootson invited skaters to send in contest results, park news, skater news, legislation news, pro gossip and skateparks provided local information. The first advertisers were: G&S, Tracker Trucks, and Logan Earth Ski. Advertisers would get 100 copies of the newspaper to mail out with shipments to retailers across the country. NSR, as it was referred, was published monthly for the next three years. As Dootson explains, “By early 1979, the insurance industry had effectively closed many skateparks across the country. With the loss of skatepark retail shops to provide sales opportunities, manufacturers had to cut expenses. Ads to the NSR eventually dwindled. By summer, 1979, it was painfully clear the NSR days were numbered. I printed a farewell in the April/May, 1979 issue.”
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1977
editor
Rose, Di Dootson
ID Number
2013.0163.10
accession number
2013.0163
catalog number
2013.0163.10

Black American Racers Enterprise race car decal

Black American Racers Enterprise race car decal. B.A.R.E. was an offshoot of Black American Racers, Inc and was created with the sole purpose to develop African American driver, Coyle Peek in the British Formula Ford Series. B.A.R.E was owned by Leonard W.
Description (Brief)
Black American Racers Enterprise race car decal. B.A.R.E. was an offshoot of Black American Racers, Inc and was created with the sole purpose to develop African American driver, Coyle Peek in the British Formula Ford Series. B.A.R.E was owned by Leonard W. Miller and managed from the same offices as BAR. Miller was challenged by Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation and other potential sponsors to retain an African American backup driver ready to replace BAR's driver, Benny Scott in the event Scott was incapable of racing. Peek was never needed at BAR but Miller was the first African American in the United States to deploy an African American race car driver to England with his own means.
In 1969, Len Miller and his brother Dexter for Miller Racing to race hot rods on the drag racing circuit in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and the Northeast. With success on the racetrack he formed Vanguard Racing in 1972 and was the first African American to enter a car in the Indianapolis 500. He then went on to found the Black American Racers Association in 1973. The goal of the organization was to “unify African-American drivers in all types of racing – stock car, open wheel, and drag racing -- pave the way for greater success and introduce race fans to African-American’s history in motorsports.”
Later that same year the Black American Racers, Inc. (BAR) was formed with Benny Scott as their second generation African-American driver. Also in 1973, BAR became the first team to have an African American driver compete in England. In 1975, BAR driver Benny Scott would break the color barrier at the Long Beach Grand Prix, when the team entered a Formula 5000 car in the inaugural race. Len and Benny Scott were inducted into the Black Athletes Hall of Fame for their achievements in motorsports in 1976. In 1978, BAR experienced a setback when their driver Tommy Thompson was killed in an accident at the Trenton Speedway. Many of the team members took a break after this tragedy and in the 1980s the team turned toward stock car racing.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1973
ID Number
2016.3189.01
nonaccession number
2016.3189
catalog number
2016.3189.01

Joe Namath Professional Yo-Yo

This white plastic yo-yo was made by the Union Wadding Company of Pawtucket, Rhode Island in 1975. It features a central color photograph of NFL quarterback Joe Namath (1943- .) The display card is shaped and colored like a football.
Description (Brief)
This white plastic yo-yo was made by the Union Wadding Company of Pawtucket, Rhode Island in 1975. It features a central color photograph of NFL quarterback Joe Namath (1943- .) The display card is shaped and colored like a football. The card's back features yo-yo instructions as well as a discount offer for the Joe Namath Instructional Football Camp.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1976
depicted (sitter)
Namath, Joe
ID Number
2007.0158.05
accession number
2007.0158
catalog number
2007.0158.05

Cadillac brand skateboard wheel

This is an original Cadillac skateboard wheel which is unpigmented, the original color of the urethane being a translucent red. The wheel is 2 inches in diameter and 1 inch wide.
Description (Brief)
This is an original Cadillac skateboard wheel which is unpigmented, the original color of the urethane being a translucent red. The wheel is 2 inches in diameter and 1 inch wide. The symbol imprinted into each wheel, a triangle next to the letter 'K', represents a combination of the Hawaiian slang term 'da kine' meaning 'the kind' or 'the best' and 73 for the year it was manufactured, 1973. There is a metal bearing race cone in the center of the wheel. This would receive the loose ball bearings and a screw for securing the wheel to the truck, holding the bearings in, allowing the wheel to spin freely.
Frank Nasworthy’s introduction of the urethane wheel to skateboarding in the early 1970s, changed the face of the sport allowing riders a more fluid, smooth ride and innovators to create new and improved equipment designed specifically from the use of the urethane wheel on skateboards. Prior to Cadillac wheel’s introduction, skateboarding had dropped from popularity. The equipment did not allow for a safe, enjoyable ride. The wheels, made of steel, plastic, clay or a crushed walnut composite did not provide a smooth ride. One small rock or rise in the road and the board would stop, sending the rider flying. Nasworthy, a recreational skater discovered the urethane wheel, originally used for roller skating, at a friend’s father’s factory in Purcellville, Virginia. He saw the potential for skateboarding and returned to California with 1000 wheels he bought from his friend’s dad. Selling them to skate and surf shops in California, Nasworthy soon realized the business potential and began manufacturing the wheels under the name Cadillac. While skateboarding ebbed again in the late 70s, the wheels were here to stay.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1973
ID Number
2021.0116.03.1
accession number
2021.0116
catalog number
2021.0116.03.1

Zoo York skatezine created by Mark 'Ali' Edmonds, 1979

Original skatezine created by Mark ‘Ali’ Edmonds, the leader of a group of graffiti artists and street skaters known as ‘The Soul Artists of Zoo York.’ The zine has a blue hand illustrated cover with a black and white pencil drawing of New York City in the center with "Zoo York w
Description (Brief)
Original skatezine created by Mark ‘Ali’ Edmonds, the leader of a group of graffiti artists and street skaters known as ‘The Soul Artists of Zoo York.’ The zine has a blue hand illustrated cover with a black and white pencil drawing of New York City in the center with "Zoo York written in large block letters at the top. There is a black and white hand drawn television set in the bottom left corner sinking into the blue water with the contents of the issue written on the screen. The zine has hand drawn and hand written content done by Ali.
This band of graffiti artists and skateboarders who occupied the streets of New York City in the mid-1970s converged, taking the name created by Edmonds while referring to New York as a city of animals, hence Zoo York was born.
The skate crew grew to 15 and with their artistic skills created a Zoo York logo emulating their California heroes and counterparts, the Dogtown skaters. The legend of Zoo York became cemented with the creation of this zine. In 1979, Edmonds published this one-off ‘zine that devoted its “Sports” page to a fictional championship contest between the Zoo York skaters and another crew. There were never any contests or even any skaters, but the outlaw legend was created.
And while the Zoo York crew only lasted for a few more years as skaters grew older and needed to earn a living away from skating, the legend lived on among the New York City skaters. Fast forward to 1993 and a new generation of street skaters had grown up on the streets of New York and were tired of being overlooked by the California centric skate industry. Smith, Gesner and Schatz, with the blessing of the original Zoo York crew set out to transform the New York City landscape and ended up creating a global enterprise.
In 1970s New York City, Mark ‘Ali’ Edmonds led a group of graffiti artists who happened to excel at street skating and formed ‘The Soul Artists of Zoo York’. This band of graffiti artists and skateboarders who occupied the streets of New York City in the mid-1970s converged, taking the name created by Edmonds while referring to New York as a city of animals, hence Zoo York was born.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1979
ID Number
2022.0046.01
accession number
2022.0046
catalog number
2022.0046.01

Harness Race Winner

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1970-08-28
ID Number
2013.0327.0909
accession number
2013.0327
catalog number
2013.0327.0909

Jim Brown

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1974-08
depicted (sitter)
Brown, Jim
referenced
Foreman, George E.
photographer
Regan, Ken
ID Number
2014.0112.262
catalog number
2014.0112.262
accession number
2014.0112

Vans skateboarding shoes

Vans skateboarding shoes are blue and red low tops with a blue toe and eyestay. The shoe midsoles are white and the sole is the trademark deep tan, waffle pattern.
Description (Brief)
Vans skateboarding shoes are blue and red low tops with a blue toe and eyestay. The shoe midsoles are white and the sole is the trademark deep tan, waffle pattern. Introduced in 1976, this pair of Vans is model #95, now known as the Era,and was designed by skateboarders and Z-Boyz teammates Tony Alva and Stacy Peralta. This classic Vans look defined a generation of skateboarders.
Paul and Jim Van Doren, along with partners Gordon Lee and Serge Delia opened the Van Doren Rubber Company in 1966, manufacturing shoes and selling them directly to the public. Vans uses a vulcanized shoe making process where the rubber outsoles are heated and stretched onto the “lasted upper” of the shoe before the rubber is completely cured. The entire shoe is then heated to over 300 degrees. This process creates a ‘sticky’ sole popular with skaters for ensuring a good contact surface with their board. Using pro skaters to design their shoes, producing pro skater models and creating the trademark “sidestripe” recognizable around the world, Vans became the shoe of choice for a generation of skaters and grew into an international enterprise in just 50 years.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1976
ID Number
2016.0351.08
accession number
2016.0351
catalog number
2016.0351.08

San Francisco Giants Hat, used by Willie Mays

“The Say Hey Kid” Willie Howard Mays Jr. (b.1931) began his career in the Negro Leagues (1947) before joining the Major League’s New York Giants in 1951.
Description
“The Say Hey Kid” Willie Howard Mays Jr. (b.1931) began his career in the Negro Leagues (1947) before joining the Major League’s New York Giants in 1951. Excepting time in military service (1952-1953,) the exuberant center fielder became a mainstay of the Giants, who relocated to San Francisco in 1958. In 1973 Mays signed with the New York Mets, where he would play his final two seasons.
Mays started his Major League career by winning the 1951 National League Rookie of the Year Award. A two time National League Most Valuable Player (1954, 1965) Mays led the Giants to victory in the 1954 World Series, where in game one, he famously caught a ball, hit by Cleveland Indian Vic Wertz, over his shoulder. Now simply referred to in baseball lore as “The Catch,” the play is the best remembered of the many defensive efforts that earned the speedy outfielder 12 gold gloves to go along with his 24 All Star Game recognitions.
Mays finished his career with .302 batting average, 3,283 hits, 660 home runs, 1,903 runs batted in, and 338 stolen bases. One of the greatest all-around players the sport has ever seen, Mays was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979. In 2015 he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1970-1972
user
Mays, Willie
ID Number
2017.0084.13
accession number
2017.0084
catalog number
2017.0084.13

Baseball bat used by Pete Rose, Cincinnati Reds

Baseball bat used by Pete Rose as a member of the Cincinnati Reds.Peter Pete Rose (b. 1941) currently has the record for most hits in American Major League Baseball with 4,256.
Description
Baseball bat used by Pete Rose as a member of the Cincinnati Reds.
Peter Pete Rose (b. 1941) currently has the record for most hits in American Major League Baseball with 4,256. Known as Charlie Hustle for his aggressive style of play, Rose was a seventeen-time all-star, led the National League in batting three times, and was named the League's Most Valuable Player in 1973. Following his playing career, Rose managed the Cincinnati Reds, where, in 1989, he was found guilty of betting on baseball games. This led to his placement on Major League Baseballs ineligible list, effectively banning him from the sport.
Rose, who appeared in more games (3,562) and had more at-bats (14,053) than any other MLB player, played for the Cincinnati Reds (1963-1978, 1984-1986) Philadelphia Phillies (1979-1983) and Montreal Expos (1984.) A switch-hitter, Rose starred as both infielder and outfielder, winning two gold gloves.
The National League's Rookie of the Year in 1963, Rose helped lead Cincinnati's Big Red Machine to back to back World Series titles in 1975 and 1976. He would attain a third championship ring as a member of the Phillies in 1980.
With a lifetime batting average of .303, Rose had 160 home runs and 1,314 runs batted in for his career. In 1977, he hit safely in 44 straight games, tying the longest streak in National League history. He broke Ty Cobb's long-standing all-time hit record in 1985, retiring the following season.
Named manager of the Reds in 1984, Rose compiled a 412-373 record before being placed on baseball's ineligible list for gambling on baseball. This status has kept Rose away from most MLB baseball functions, including eligibility for induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
In 1990 Rose was sentenced to five months in a Federal penitentiary for filing false income tax returns.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1969-1970
Associated Name
Rose, Pete
Cincinnati Reds
maker
Louisville Slugger
ID Number
2017.0334.15
catalog number
2017.0334.15
accession number
2017.0334

Diana Nyad

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1978
photographer
Regan, Ken
ID Number
2014.0112.056
catalog number
2014.0112.056
accession number
2014.0112

Breezer 1 Mountain Bike

First prototype of the JBX1 "Breezer 1” mountain bike.
Description
First prototype of the JBX1 "Breezer 1” mountain bike. Hand built by Joe Breeze in 1977, the JBX1 was the first bicycle frame designed specifically for mountain biking.
The “Breezer 1” was constructed with components that could withstand the repeated pounding of mountain bike riding, such as Araya brand 26” steel rims, Phil Wood hubs, Sun Tour derailleurs, and Dia-Compe brakes. The steel “riser” handlebars and Magura brand brake levers were repurposed from motorcycles and adapted to work with the “Breezer 1’s” stem and brake calipers. The large size of the Magura motorcycle levers provided increased braking leverage and was advantageous when trying to ride in wet conditions with slippery steel Araya rims. Other parts, such as the Sun Tour thumb shifters were adapted from five-speed touring bikes and only came in right hand models. The left side thumb shifter, which controlled the front derailleur, was a right hand shifter that was mounted backwards.
Prior to the construction of the “Breezer 1”, mountain bike racers would modify vintage cruiser bikes, nicknamed “clunkers”, with coaster or drum brakes, sturdier wheels with knobby “balloon tires”, and “fork braces” to keep the frames from bending under the stresses of off-road riding. Mountain bike riders in Marin County, California would race these “clunkers” down mountain trails in events called “Repack Races”. The term ”Repack” was coined because the hub-based brakes would inevitably overheat, lose their effectiveness, and have to be disassembled and repacked with fresh grease prior to another ride down the mountain.
Joe Breeze’s “Breezer 1” design served as a benchmark for mountain bikes to build and improve upon. In 1979 Tom Ritchey of Redwood City, California, started building fat-tire mountain bikes, which were sold by two veterans of the “Repack Races”, Gary Fisher and Charlie Kelly. In 1982, mountain bicycles were offered by two separate companies -- Specialized Bicycles came out with the Stumpjumper and Univega released the Alpina Pro. The following year, Gary Fisher founded his own mountain bicycle company, which sold bicycles under the brand "Gary Fisher" from 1983 to 2010.
The 1980s and 1990s saw mountain biking evolve from a niche sport to an International Cycling World Championship event in 1990. It became an Olympic event at the 1996 Atlanta games. Additionally, mountain biking became an increasingly popular amateur sport. Once only available from specialty shops, mountain bikes were suddenly being sold as recreation bikes at department stores and big box retailers.
date made
1977
maker
Breezer Bicycles
maker; designer
Breeze, Joe
ID Number
2012.0066.01
catalog number
2012.0066.01
accession number
2012.0066
serial number
JBX1

"Everybody" magazine featuring an article about the Black American Racers

"Everybody" magazine featuring an article about the Black American Racers, 1975. In 1969, Len Miller and his brother Dexter for Miller Racing to race hot rods on the drag racing circuit in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and the Northeast.
Description (Brief)
"Everybody" magazine featuring an article about the Black American Racers, 1975. In 1969, Len Miller and his brother Dexter for Miller Racing to race hot rods on the drag racing circuit in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and the Northeast. With success on the racetrack he formed Vanguard Racing in 1972 and was the first African American to enter a car in the Indianapolis 500. He then went on to found the Black American Racers Association in 1973. The goal of the organization was to “unify African-American drivers in all types of racing – stock car, open wheel, and drag racing -- pave the way for greater success and introduce race fans to African-American’s history in motorsports.”
Later that same year the Black American Racers, Inc. (BAR) was formed with Benny Scott as their second generation African-American driver. Also in 1973, BAR became the first team to have an African American driver compete in England. In 1975, BAR driver Benny Scott would break the color barrier at the Long Beach Grand Prix, when the team entered a Formula 5000 car in the inaugural race. Len and Benny Scott were inducted into the Black Athletes Hall of Fame for their achievements in motorsports in 1976. In 1978, BAR experienced a setback when their driver Tommy Thompson was killed in an accident at the Trenton Speedway. Many of the team members took a break after this tragedy and in the 1980s the team turned toward stock car racing.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1975
ID Number
2016.3189.17
nonaccession number
2016.3189
catalog number
2016.3189.17

Copy of the original sketch for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleading uniform by Paula Van Wagoner

Copy of the original sketch for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleading uniform by Paula Van Wagoner of the Lester Melnick store in Dallas. This signature uniform is a carefully guarded trademark.
Description (Brief)
Copy of the original sketch for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleading uniform by Paula Van Wagoner of the Lester Melnick store in Dallas. This signature uniform is a carefully guarded trademark. Specifically tailored to fit each individual cheerleader, the signature blouse, vest and shorts were hand made by Leveta Crager until the mid-1990s and are now made by Lisa Dobson.
The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders have been cheering the team on since the Cowboys football team’s inception in 1961 but it wasn’t until 1972 that the iconic uniforms were created. With the distinctive uniforms and specialized dance moves, the cheerleaders soon became icons of popular culture producing the first poster to feature cheerleaders in 1977 and appearing in three television shows that same year. They began their international activities in 1978 when the NFL wanted to promote American football abroad and they chose the cheerleaders as their ambassadors. Their show group travels the world demonstrating their Texas spirit and pride in their football team and their country.
A decidedly American invention, cheerleading has its origins in sports and education. Beginning as early as 1877, fans organized cheers in the stands at Princeton football games but it was not until the 1930s when Gussie Nell Davis, a physical education teacher at Greenville High in Texas, saw the need to involve girls in physical activity. Participation in organized sports was not readily available to girls at this time - the Flaming Flashes and later, the Kilgore Rangerettes of Kilgore College in Texas, both organized by Davis, provided a sense of unity and empowerment through athleticism. Until Title IX, cheerleading was among the few sports available at the high school and collegiate levels that provided opportunities for women.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1970s
maker
Van Wagoner, Paula
ID Number
2017.3027.01
nonaccession number
2017.3027
catalog number
2017.3027.01

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